School & Sports Pictures for Kids, How to Order?

[SuzyView]

I take pictures of all the events at my sons' school. I took 800+ pictures at the awards assembly this week, but didn't print one up and the kids got out of school for the summer today. Next year I want to make available the shots I took at events for parents to purchase, but for fund raising purposes. With 600 pictures, what software should I use to develop a gallery to choose from? Does anyone do such things and how much should I charge for the 4x6's I want to print?

Take under consideration that no one else can get the shots I get as a teacher. I took 2-4 shots of each student shaking hands with the principal and getting their award and waving to the audience. I took the pictures with my 5D and 70-200 2.8 IS, Tv 1/125 shutter speed and f2.8. Each picture came out without shadow and crystal clear. Only blur was when someone walked in front of me.:evil:

[Croasdail]

Hey Suzy, I would look at a site like photoshelter or the like that are already setup for this kind of transaction. You can have it set up to either forward the printing to a shop to be done for you, or the orders can be forwarded to you directly and you can print them. You can also setup your own pricing scheme. It is quit easy and much easier then doing it yourself. I am shutting down my other sites and going to this method only.

I didn't know your a teacher. My wife is moving to teaching this year doing the lateral entry thing - she just past her Praxis II test. Looks like my youngest and her will be in kindergarten this year.

Save yourself some headaches and use one of the commercial sites out there. It's a few pennies lost here or there, but you spend more time shooting this way and less time on the fullfilling side. Cheers and best of luck with it.

[SuzyView]

Thanks, Mark. I was looking exactly for something like this. I'm not set up to print all these up by myself. I will definitely look into it this week, before school starts this fall.

Teaching is what I love more than photography, but since I've been teaching for over 20 years, the photography stuff is fun and new. I finished up the year feeling I had a great job and a group of students I will never forget, they were wonderful. But it is a commitment and you don't get paid much. :(

[MJPhotos24]

Yup, Mark nailed it...use one of those sites, I use exposure manager and there slogan is "You focus on photography, we'll focus on sales", which is the truth. You can give out cards/flyers/something to the parents so they can check it out online. OR, you can make up order forms ahead of time and they can turn them in on that day and you can still have your site do the photos, you just order them yourself which is a little more work but you're paid already so its usually worth it.

Teaching, one thing you need to have a lot of passion for. I have a teachng degree but just lost it the past few years, but the little kids help, I would go in a bad mood but theres always kids doing something to make you laugh :)

[SuzyView]

I love teaching, especially one on one with kids who are ready to learn and wanting the better grades. I am retiring again this year, after being a TA for 7 months. It was hard for me because I was a lead teacher and then a director for so many years. This is my second retirement. But I think volunterism is what I will concentrate on and taking pictures really is a good way to learn all the kids names, etc. This website you both mentioned will be great. I just have to swing it by the principal this summer. If she agrees, then I will move ahead. I don't want to earn money for myself, but it's a poorer school, so the PTA and other groups can use all the help they can get. Thanks for your replys.